Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-06-04

a capital of $200, 900, and MT. Thomas came at once to Florence to give per sonal superintendence to the work of building the canal. He let the two-mile contract to MT. James Brash and Mir. R. H Martin secured the contract for the balance of the construction work Mir. Martin sub-let portions of the work to Messrs. John Dunn, Aaron Mason and others.
 It was the good fortune of represen- tative of the ENTERPRISE to visit the head of the canal on Tuesday, through the hospitality of chief engineer and con struction superintendent A. T. Cotton. The rock work at the head was near com- pletion and it was thought it would be finished the present week. A very small amount of excavation was still income plete, and the work of constructing the head gate was started on Tuesday. The company is doing this worh under the dl- rection of MT. Cotton, who purposes mak- ing it thoroughly substantial and effec- tive. About one hundred feet of sand excavation is to be made, to connect the canal with the headgate, when the water will enter the conduit at two feet below the present low water mark. Should ec- casion demand 1t, dam can be cheaply made that will turn large stream of wa ter into the canal at even the lowest pos sible stage of the water About twenty five men and ten teams with scrapers are now at work completing the excavations at the head.
 About three and one-haH miles from the head MT. Aaron Mason is completing his contract of 1900 feet of rock work. He has about 30 men and many teams at work and will finish his contract by the middle of June. By that time WestfalPs camp will be in front of Florence and the canal will be practically finished to this point. MT. Cotton says he will have the water running to Florence by July 1st at the outside.
 From this rlace, bearing in general southwesterly direction, the canal will be constructed towards Casa Grande, and MT. Thomas thinks that October 1st will witness the completion of the fifty miles designed to be the length of the main ca nal. Lateral ditohes will be constructed thereafter until all the land possible IS reached by the water, and made tlllsb The width of the main canal on the bot tom is twenty five feet, with sides slop- ing at an angle that will give an average width of thirty-six feet. It IS designed l to carry a volume of water about four feet deep.
 Nearly all the land along the main canal, so far as its route is surveyed, has been taken up by intending settlers, mostly under the desert act As the further surveys are made entries will fol- low rapidly, as these lands are much sought after. The company, 1t is under stood, will make very liberal terms with the land owners ill supplying water, be- lieving their true policy to be the quick settlement of the country and pleasant business relations with consumers rather than such exactions as corporations toe often make. They will foster the agrl. cultural development of the country and give to the poor land owner an opportu- ity to earn his watertax upon the land he cultivates. This Is an unusual con- | cession that characterizes very hbera spirit in the company's management.
 It is also an open secret that a large influx of new people have arranged te come to this place in the fall to settle upon the reclaimed lands along the ca nal They will represent the energy an6 enterprise of several of the western States and, of course, their success will bring others of their friends to dwell among them.
 The lands along the canal are capa5l, of producing almost every known produc of the temperate zone and many of thu semi-tropical fruits. They are part 0 the great thermal belt never touched b. frost, and are therefore especially desira ble for the growth of citrus fruits. Grape
 flourish with remarkable vigor and pro
 ductiveness, and the dry atmosphere pc
 culiarly adapts it for raisin making I
 is specially favored section, in whicl
 almost everything of necessity or luxur.
 can be produced in abundance, and wher a home in all it's perfection can be creat ed in a very few brief years.
 It is grand enterprise for this portiol
 of Arizona, this Florence canal. It
 destined to start the wheels of progress and it will lead to other new and equall important developments; to new source of water supply by means of artesia
 wells and water storage reservoirs, an !